Coyotes and Ravens
by Anything Once
Summary: Team Scorpion has had a few unfortunate encounters with animals and nature as a whole. Pieces of indeterminate, though commonly short, length concerning these encounters.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This dumb thing wouldn't leave till I wrote it. I anticipate more, in the meantime though, it's set an indeterminate amount of time after the S1 finale. Kudos if you notice the wordplay at the end. I own nada. R &R please. Enjoy!  
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"Not that I'm in _any way_ doubting your ability to drive off a cliff, but I was under the impression, obviously false, that you might be more likely to be able to handle that kind of car and _not_ drive through the guardrail. But then again, what do I know?" To most it would have appeared Toby was engrossed in the rapidly flipping pages before him, however, an observant viewer might notice that his eyes were in fact analyzing the man working across the room from him.

Thus, when Walter's eyes flickered up from his way in a split second flash of embarrassment, maybe guilt, and an accompanying miniscule shoulder tense Toby caught it.

"Hm, do I detect more to the matter than you told the rest of us? Cat got your tongue?" At the unbroken silence he received, Toby leaned back, boots thumping on the desk, settling back into the chair with his hands behind his head; patience was required to get any of the Cyclone to confide in him. "Come now, you can tell me; I'm a doctor you know."

Another flickered glance, fingers pausing over keys before resuming. Then, a muttered "It wasn't exactly a cat…."

Eyes narrowed, the gears were almost visible as Toby processed his friend's words; abruptly sitting upright, boots slamming to the floor as he exclaimed, "Walter O'Brien! Mr. 197, are you telling me you drove through the guardrail for a mangy coyote!?"

"I did _not_ do it on purpose; I saw movement on the road and responded accordingly. I don't like wild animals; they're unpredictable and dangerous."

"Case and point," Toby snickered, "Though now that you mention it, you could be talking about yourself; not that far off." Walter sputtered and tried to protest but Toby cut him off laughing. "All the stunts you pull and people you've pissed off it's a coyote that almost does the job!"

As the psychoanalyst sniggered about the irony, Walter finally recovered enough to protest, "It wasn't _just_ the coyote, it was a conspiracy; the raven was in on it."


	2. C&A Pt II

**Author's Note: I still own nothing and still hate everything. Take the thing.**

Toby looked at Walter, smothering his laughter enough to respond, "Ah, we're accusing ravens or teaming up with coyotes. Or is it just those two?" Nodding sagely, he stroked an imaginary goatee, "I as a certified professional, should tell you that ascribing human abilities and malice to a bird is only _marginally_ better than talking to it.

"They're intelligent animals and I was suffering from blood loss." Walter was firmly not looking at Toby, focused on his work.

"If that's the case, I'll eat my hat. You were hoping Mother Nature wouldn't screw you over and the bird would stay." A pause followed as the he waited, before Walter glanced over, a hint of a smirk playing over his face.

"Mother Nature is a personification of nature in humanity's pitiful attempts to comfort themselves over the cold, impartial reality of survival.

Falling back in his chair, Toby threw his hands up, "Ah ha! There's the 197 we all know and love. Tell me something, does it ever get tiring? Always denying your, admittedly lacking, emotions; denial is no way to live my friend." Although his tone was playful, there was an undercurrent of seriousness that had Walter half closing his computer.

"No. The others' are getting lunch and bringing something back, if I'd known you wanted to talk, I would have insisted you go with them. So don't." His expression was shuttered, dismissal obvious as he reopened his computer and resumed typing.

Eyebrows furrowing, Toby studied Walter reading the waves of agitation and stubborn focus on his computer screen and the information that was doubtlessly passing by with nauseating swiftness. He opened his mouth, about to force the conversation when the sound of a car pulling into the garage interrupted him. "You got away this time," he hissed, shaking a finger as he rose to greet the lunch-bringers. "But don't think this Talk isn't going to happen."

Watching Toby's retreated back, Walter muttered under this breath, fingers finally still, "Not if I can help it."


End file.
